Extra Base Hits Take No. 17 Baylor Past ISU, 14-6

AMES, Iowa - For the second consecutive day, the Iowa State softball team recorded six hits against the Big 12's No. 1 pitching staff in No. 17 Baylor. However, the Lady Bears were able to count on power hitting again as 10 of their 12 hits went for extra bases Saturday. BU took down ISU 14-6 in six innings Saturday in front of a season-high crowd of 484 at the Cyclone Sports Complex.

The loss drops Iowa State to 22-27-1 overall, 2-12 in the Big 12. Baylor is now 40-12 on the season, 11-4 in conference play.

Iowa State Gets Ahead Early AgainIt was Baylor who was first on the board today as Kaitlyn Thumann hit of the first BU's seven doubles to left-center to bring home Lindsey Cargill, who walked, to make it 1-0 Bears in the top of the second.

ISU wasted no time responding as for the second consecutive day, Liana Henry recorded a 2-RBI hit with a double to right-center that brought home Aly Cappaert and Sara Davison to put the Cyclones ahead 2-1 after two.

Long Ball Powers Baylor AgainAfter recording four home runs in Friday's win, Baylor was at it again with the home runs on Saturday. The first of the Lady Bears' three home runs came in the top of the third with Holly Holl leading off the inning with a walk and Clare Hosack following with a single. Linsey Hays stepped up and hit her 11th homer of the season to dead center to move Baylor back ahead 4-2.

After a scoreless ISU third, Baylor got going again to start the fourth as Thumann led off the frame with a homer to right-center to make it 5-2 Lady Bears. Baylor would add another run in the inning on a Hosack sacrifice fly.

Rice Puts ISU Back in the GameWith Davison on first via a fielder's choice and one out, Sara Rice stepped up to the plate. The senior had been in a bit of a slump over the past couple of months, seeing her batting average fall below .300 and at .223 coming into today's game.

In one of her final games at the Cyclone Sports Complex, Rice found her groove again as she took Heather Stearns, the owner of the Big 12's second-best ERA deep to left-center to reduce the Baylor lead to 6-4. It was Rice's first home run since Feb. 14 against Weber State in Las Cruses, N.M. and her first multi-RBI game since Louisville on Mar. 14.

Consolation RunsBaylor piled on the runs in the top of the fifth, scoring six runs to storm ahead 12-4. ISU needed a run to continue the game in the bottom of the frame and they produced just that. Hawryluk reached on an infield single and an errant throw by Stearns allowed the senior to move over to second. Two batters later, Rachel Hartman reached base for the third time on the game as Jill Reid booted a grounder to second, allowing Hawryluk to score and the game to go on.

After two Baylor runs in the sixth, ISU needed to get back on the board again. Rice came up with her second extra base hit of the game with a double off the top of the wall in center. Two batters later, with Rice's pinch runner Sam Reyes on third, Brittany Gomez took advantage of the outfield playing in and smacked one past Thumann in right to record her second triple of the season and 67th hit of the year to make it 14-6 Baylor.

On DeckIowa State and Baylor will play the final game of their three-game set tomorrow at 11 a.m. The game will mark Senior Day as Iowa State will honor its five senior teammates, Sara Davison, Sarah Hawryluk, Liana Henry, Hally Lenzine and Sara Rice.

Fans are encouraged to be at the Cyclone Sports Complex by 10:45 a.m. tomorrow, as a pre-game ceremony will be held honoring the ISU quintet.